4/28/2011

We wanted to give you a glimpse of some of the beauties that we will be bringing with us to Remnants of the Past this Saturday April 30th. Come and see them in person.

This morning, Johan, Martin and I will be busy loading up the items we have selected to offer at this much anticipated event. We had put aside some of our best merchandise especially for this show and are looking forward to seeing you there.

Even though it's hard work to gather and load up everything for an event, we relish the moments of the planning stage. Thinking about the way we'll display the merchandise, selecting props, and planning each detail can be fun.

We know that when Johan is with us, our space will look phenomenal because he definitely has a knack for merchandising. I't's that "Je ne sais quoi!" As we load up, he's telling us of his plan, "...I'm going to place these large urns on top of the trestle table, with some buxus, and then..."
Although I'm used to planning the display with Martin's help, when Johan's here, we definitely become his assistants and defer to him when it comes to aesthetics. Step aside Axel Vervoordt!

We hope to see many of you there. Stop by, say hello and if you are not yet on our mailing list,click heretake a minute to add your information to our list so that we may keep you informed of our events and other fun stuff. You may also do this by sending us an email to ourinfoatelier@gmail.comaccount with a simple, "Add my name to your mailing list!" and perhaps a list of things of interest to you.

4/25/2011

We are delighted to announce that we will finally be participating in the wonderful event, Remnants of the Past Vintage Show. For a few years, Judy Watkins from Well... La De Da Productions had been inviting us to participate but somehow the dates had not worked for us. Then last Fall, when I thought I could do it I called to reserve a space and they had ran out of them and alas we couldn't be part of it. Some time in the Winter, I got a call from Judy letting me know she had space available in the Spring, so we jumped on it. Remnants of the Past has become a Central Coast destiny for designers, antique collectors, home decor aficionados and folk who generally have a love for items of the past.

Over the years Judy has selected an ensemble of dedicated merchants who together create a beautiful environment of sheer enjoyment and delightful shopping. ROTP is a bi-annual event that takes place once in the Spring and once in the Fall. Attendees from the past wait with much anticipation for the next one. ROTP was just featured in Country Living magazine and Judy has been tirelessly promoting it so it promises to be THE event of the Spring in the Central Coast. Some of you may have never heard of Nipomo, but Remnants of the Past is definitely putting it on the map.

The backdrop for this event is an idyllic setting, which is the Dana-Powers Property. It's country, it's homey, it's sublime! It is so "farmy" some of the booths are inside a barn! You can make it a mini-vacation and head to the beach afterward or visit the scenic and historic area. It's a skip, hop, and a jump from San Luis Obispo and next door to Pismo Beach. Bring lots of energy and a BIG truck 'cause you are going to want to shop!

You'll also be glad to know that a portion of the proceeds from the entrance fees will go to Habitat for Humanity.

4/19/2011

Atelier de Campagne has been focusing so much in capturing the beauty of the past and sharing it with you, that we have not taken advantage of some modern conveniences that technology offers.

We have been busy at antique fairs, our showroom, and other events and had not made time to develop our business online. We would like to make buying accessible to all of you who do not live near us.

Up until recently, Atelier had been pretty much a two-man show, which made it difficult for us to do as much as we wanted to do, grow as much as we wanted to grow, and reach as many people as we wanted to reach. And even when we are able to reach some of you via our web site and blog(which granted, is still at its infancy) we have not been able to provide the convenience of online shopping. We are now in the process of rethinking our business approach and will soon be adding online shopping possibilities.

Stay tuned and continue to visit our web site and blog. Also, for those of you near us or inclined to come and see us, you can visit our showroom at CenterStreet Antiques in Soquel California near Santa Cruz, or make an appointment to come to our home/studio/warehouse! Here are some photos of our space in Center St. Antiques.

4/13/2011

Whether it is a road sign, an old blue and white
sign from a French street or even a foreign speed sign, they all conjure up images of traveling the many roads of the world: the many roads of life.

Enamel streets signs from various places in France

Icy roads starts here

Hand painted signs that once hung over a store or business show us the care that people put into adding a touch of beauty and pride to their establishments. Even a hand painted sign on a wooden board advertising a building or a room for rent, as mundane as it may seem, elicits a pleasant and nostalgic feeling in our hearts.

Furnished apartment for rent, on the French Riviera close to Cannes

Cafê sign painted on metal 1940's Lyon, France

Double sided Pharmacy sign, Lyon 1900's

One of my joys while I travel through Europe hunting for treasures,

is admiring some of the old signs that hang over
florist shops, bakeries, butcher shops and many other establishments.

For me, these signs are much more
beautiful than the modern neon and screen signs that we now see everywhere which seem rude and offensive to my eyes.

Will you send us a photo of your favorite sign? Whether you own it or have seen it on a street or on the page of a book or magazine, I'd love to do a follow up of this entry and include some of those photos.

4/10/2011

Sigh! We did it again! We'd like to again extend our gratitude to all of you who supported us with your presence and of course your purchases. It is a joy to see people walking out "hugging" a new treasured find. I don't know if it's good business sense, but I love to make a sale where the buyer looks gleeful about something she found. It could be something to add beauty of a home, an addition to a collection, or something that will make the perfect gift for a loved one.

Pillows of Atelier's own line made of old French linen

Wooden grape harvester

Hand blown glass jars

Dolly tub turned into a quaint coffee table

We also want to send a LOUD shout out and a tip of the hat to all the wonderful folks whose postings supported our event: Trish from Trouvais, Maria from Dreamy Whites, Christina from Griege, Andie from Divine Theater, Terry from La Dolfina, and This Bliss Life If you are not familiar with these ladies blogs, pay them a visit. We feel honored to be included in their postings.

panier d'huitre (oyster baskets) from Ile de Rê, France

Vintage Belgian spools with cotton thread

Belgian ice chest of ice-cream vendor on beaches

A special "thank you" to our friend Cathy for the great photos for this posting.

Finally, we'd like to thank many of you who sent us good will, and words of encouragement via emails and postings on our blog. Merci! Gracias! Grazie! Dank u! Obrigado! Thank you!

4/09/2011

Hallelujah! Mother Nature embraced us and gave us a beautiful day for the first day of our sale! On Thursday and Friday we had wind, rain, hail, and even slush! We just didn't quite know what the weather would be like for the sale.

Lots of good spirited people showed up and brought great energy to our garden, adding to the ambiance. Although we were running around responding to questions and tending to our friends and customers and although we are exhausted, we are so happy and excited. People came from all over, including other states.

Photograph by Trouvais

We were also very pleased to host two amazing members of the blogging community who came to photograph the event; Trish from Trouvais and Maria from Dreamy Whites. Trish has been most generous and has introduced us to many of her followers through her blog site, and Maria is preparing to share her experience at our sale in a future posting.

Photograph by Trouvais

Photograph by Dreamy Whites

Photograph by Dreamy Whites

To those who made it today, THANK YOU!! To those who haven't made it, we have one more day Sunday and still have lots of goodies. You can also call us and make an appointment to come and shop at your leisure.

About us

Atelier de Campagne was created by the concerted efforts of Trinidad Castro and Johan de Meulenaere. When they first met about 15 years ago, they discovered that among their affinities, they both had a love for antiques and unique object d’art.
Trinidad had a background in Art and Johan had a degree in Interior and Furniture Design. Years later, when Johan returned to his native Belgium, they decided to venture together and create an antique import business. Johan as the creative force in Europe, hunts for and gathers the one-of-a-kind mirrors, chandeliers, and pieces of furniture that they are known for, and also creates new treasures by “marrying” elements from old pieces of furniture with other artifacts, recycled wood, etc.
Trinidad on this side of the Atlantic busied himself developing the business and building the clientele by participating in major gift shows, antique fairs, and tending to their store-front. In the summer they both travel through France selecting beauties to bring to the U.S.